Fence Repair Services

Between Waco's summer sun, windy winters, and the subtropical rains we get in Texas, your fence gets a year-round beating from Mother Nature. (That's why you want a fence built by a company that guarantees new fences and gates for ten years: yep, that was one slick segue 😎) A stained fence is much better protected from moisture, insects, fungi, and your mother-in-law, but only up to a point.

It's sometimes smarter (and nearly always cheaper) to fix your fence. If your posts and rails are still in good shape, and the only issue is warped or rotten pickets, we can just swap those out. And if you can just fix your fence instead of replacing it, add these extra dollars to your emergency fund: you can go to Vegas another time.

Random picture of a shadowbox privacy fence we built, just because we're proud:

Common types of fence-repair services

Just call us to inquire about any fence repair needs you might have, even if they're not listed on this page. Between Action Fence of Waco and other fence companies in Texas, we've been building (and repairing!) fences for over twelve years.

Between Waco's subtropical heats and constant humidity, fences are the unsung heroes of our cityscapes. Remember that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Ah means that you need to start by hiring the right fence contractors. Maybe a company that, like us, offers a ten-year warranty on all new fences? Some wisdom for the road: real friends recommend Action Fence to their friends. #facts

Common fence repairs

• Repairing pickets is generally an easy fix. Picket repairs are limited to caulking and re-nailing. (Warped or rotten pickets have to be replaced.) But we'll always take our time going the pros and cons with you of repairing vs. replacing.
• Repairing fence posts: we'll repair damaged posts if possible. But since posts are what keeps your fence upright, it's the worst place to cut costs. Repairing (vs. replacing) a post to save a few bucks could be very expensive in the long term! Tip: when replacing a post, we can generally keep its existing concrete footing.
• Repairing rails: like posts, rails give structural integrity to your fence. ("Rails" are the horizontal boards in which pickets are nailed.) In other words, rails are no place to cut corners either. On the other hand, labor quickly adds by de-nailing and re-nailing an entire section of your fence. So, we'll always first try to repair a rail.
• Repairing caps-and-trims or kickboards: it's often cheaper to just replace a kickboard. That wood is in direct contact with the ground at all times, and quickly degrades (which is its purpose). Cap-and-trim repairs are easier since they're above ground: the wood is generally in good shape. The top part of a cap is typically invisible to humans, which makes it a great candidate for repairs. Who cares if the top part doesn't look uniform, since we were not going see it anyway?
• Nail issues: it's easy to replace nails. However, this repair only makes sense if the wood of the picket or post is still in good shape. A picket's lifespan is anywhere from 5 to 30 years. (Seems like a good time to remind you that we guarantee for ten years all new fences we build: choosing Action Fence of Waco makes cents!)
• Fence discoloration issues come from the abuse of sun rays over time and the constant spraying of sprinkler systems. Although Waco has some of the softest water in the state (about 41 PPM), Texas has some of the hardest water in the country. That high mineral content takes its toll on wood. Your only real recourse to "fix" fence discoloration is to stain it. (Guess what: we offer staining services!)
• Repairing a gate is the hardest type of fence repair jobs. That's because of all the moving parts (hinges, latch, etc.) which are screwed onto an organic material like wood, which changes over time. But it's always worth trying to repair a gate first since it's more expensive to install than a regular segment of fence. If your gate droops or leans, we'll probably need to fix or replace the supporting post(s).
• Repairing a vinyl fence: unlike wooden fences, vinyl fences are installed one panel at a time. Between labor, the low cost of vinyl panels, and the difficulty in repairing them, it's nearly always better to replace a vinyl panel than trying to repair it.
• Repairing a wrought-iron fence: repairs or restoration of a metal fence often makes sense because of the cost and longevity of the material. Repairing keeps all portions of your fence "similar looking". If you replace a segment of your fence, it will look much newer than the rest of the fence. Another advantage of repairing!

Repairing vs. Replacing

If possible, we all prefer to repair our fence rather than replacing it. When the repair is small, that makes sense. If the repair is too extensive or if the repair job requires to be re-done regularly, a replacement might be more cost-effective. We'll always quote any paid work before we do it - no surprise charges on your invoice. We'll go over all options: no hard sell tactics here at Action Fence of Waco!

Here's a picture we snapped during a morning walk. That neighbor had his old fence repaired by replacing a few pickets. Just know that with a stained fence, his new pickets would have blended-in better: (Even an old fence can be stained.)

Do-It-Yourself "Repairs"

A few doors down that same street, another neighbor has creatively "repaired" knotholes in his fence. Surprisingly, the HOA has not complained about his fence repair skills. Good for him, these googly eyes make his fence more memorable.

While this makes for a fun anecdote during long winter nights, remember that your home is your largest asset. When a potential home buyer looks at your house, your fence is the first thing they see. Rely on pros like us for your fence repair needs!

The cheapest repair in town

You know what's even cheaper than fence repairs? Not having to repair anything! A quality fence (with a ten-year warranty) is the best way to avoid costly repairs. Let's build your fence right the first time. That's where we come in. Give us a call for an honest overview of your options. Action Fence of Waco is on your side.

Re-staining your fence

If the stain on your fence is fading, we can just re-stain the faded portions. If your original fence contractor was looking out for you the way we do, he used a high-quality, oil-based stain - not a cheap water-based stain that only looks good for 30 minutes. If your fence was stained with an oil-based stain, no need to pressure-wash it beforehand. We can just apply a fresh coat of stain on top of the original.

And if your fence still in good shape but unstained, it may be worth staining it to increase its lifespan. It doesn't matter if your fence was never stained before.

Look at this beauty: the contrast between the stained boards and the galvanized steel posts gives off a truly high-end vibe. Best of all, steel posts are super durable:

Gate repairs

Wooden gates are harder to repair than replacing a few pickets, but we'll be happy to have a look and give you two estimates: one to repair the gate, and one to replace it. There's not always a right answer, so we'll go over the pros and cons with you. No sales pitch from us, we just give you the facts: we report estimate, you decide.

Besides just being a functional entrance, a gate is also an accent that breaks the monotony of a fence. And black-painted hardware is just chic on another level:

Replacing a kickboard

A smart way to extend your fence's life is to place a kickboard (or "rot board") at the bottom, parallel to the ground. That allows us to raise your pickets away from the ground. Between moisture and insects, the ground is your fence's biggest enemy. When the kickboard is rotten or otherwise damaged, we just swap it out for a new one. Kickboards last a long time because they're made of treated pine.

Here's a pine fence we built with cap and trim, and a kickboard at the bottom:

Replacing a post

Sometimes, replacing a post is enough to fix a leaning fence and prevent it from falling under high winds. Since soil is a fence post's biggest enemy, we set our posts in two-feet deep concrete to help protect them from moisture, insects, and fungi. (Two feet is well below the frost line around Waco, which is 10-12 inches.)

Here's a cedar-picket fence we built using treated-pine railing and metal posts. Metal posts look less "organic," but they're the most secure way to anchor a fence:

Other types of fences

We've installed and/or repaired the following types of fences: standard cedar/pine wooden fences, including round-rail and split-rail; vinyl fences of all stripes; aluminum and wrought-iron fences and gates, including custom-welded. Pictures on this website that show the "Action Fence" watermark are our past work.

The picture below features a nice sampling. Clockwise, a stepped cedar fence and gate, custom-welded horizontal-rail fence, railing for stairs / backyard / swimming pool / patio, and finally another horizontal fence with galvanized metal posts:

We're just a call or text away, don't hesitate to ask for an opinion or an estimate.